


a model distraction

by viridianova



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-18
Updated: 2013-07-05
Packaged: 2017-11-21 10:32:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/596714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/viridianova/pseuds/viridianova
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>If any of your friends from school ever want to pose for a picture, feel free to bring them along. Doesn't matter if they have any experience or anything. We could always use some fresh blood.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. a problem of presence

If there was one thing that Kise was sure of, it was that defeat sucked. He still couldn't believe that Touou had won, that he had lost to _Aomine_ of all people. That he had managed to let his team down, that they hadn't been able to continue in the Interhigh tournament. There were always more tournaments, of course. They would have a chance to return the favor. But right now? It didn't feel like that time would ever come.

The only good thing about the loss was that Coach had said that the whole team could take a break for a couple of weeks. Something about boosting morale, spending some time on school, or friends. Not for Kise, though. There was only one thing worth filling his time. _Modelling_. He took so many gigs that his manager had to beg him to stop. The protests were always the same.

_Shouldn't you be practicing?_

_Aren't you a high school student?_

_We don't need you this much. It's not like you're the only model in the agency._

But as rational as all of these arguments were, they never stopped Kise. Every time they mentioned any of these reasons to him, he'd just smile and ask for something else, and they'd always comply, eventually.

But Kise knew that Kaijo wasn't the only team hurting from a loss to Touou. Kuroko's team had lost against them in the preliminaries, after a desperate scrabble to get anywhere near the top at all. That really had to hurt. Not that he particularly cared about most of them, but even if he could get one of them to cheer up, then he'd be doing the entire team a service, wouldn't he? He took out his phone.

`Hey, Kurokocchi. Are you busy tomorrow? (｀・ω・´)”`

Kuroko's answer is prompt.

`No, Coach gave us the day off. Why?`

_Perfect_.

` We should go out.`

`And do what?`

Kise paused. What _did_ he want to do with Kuroko? Of course he wouldn't be the type to go out without a stated purpose, to just "hang out". He glanced around his room, looking for some prompt, until his eyes settled on one of his covers from a few months back. He was with some random guest that he couldn't quite recall the name of, but it hadn't been a bad shoot. And his manager had said something to him after, hadn't she?

_If any of your friends from school ever want to pose for a picture, feel free to bring them along. Doesn't matter if they have any experience or anything. We could always use some fresh blood._

He took out his phone again.

`Pose for a picture with me (*･∀･)／＼(･∀･*)!`

* * *

He hadn't actually expected Kuroko to say yes. He was still half convinced that he had dreamt the mail saying `Alright`. At least, until he saw Kuroko come out of the station.

"Kurokocchi!" He beamed a little.

"I'm surprised you're still in town, Kise-kun. Don't you have to be in school?"

"I got special leave for this shoot. I told the principal that it could make or break my career!"

Kise almost thought he caught a gleam of disbelief in Kuroko's eyes.

"Really?"

Kise smiled nervously.

"Don't look at me like that Kurokocchi ... it's just one day."

Kuroko frowned. "I don't want to keep you from your schoolwork."

"Don't think like that. This will be fun! Now let's go!"

He grabbed Kuroko's hand, practically dragging him to the office. It was only a few minutes from the station, and it wasn't long until he was throwing the door to his agency wide open.

"Ah, Manager-chan, we're here!"

His manager, a severe looking woman in her early 30s, peered at them from the front desk. "It's _Watanabe-san_ , Kise-kun. Didn't you say you were finally bringing one of your friends with you today?"

"Of course, he's right here!" He pointed to his right, where he was pretty sure Kuroko was, but Kuroko's voice came from his left, startling both him and Watanabe.

"Kuroko Tetsuya, at your service."

Watanabe spent what felt like an eternity scrutinizing Kuroko. Not that it seemed to phase him at all. When she looked back at Kise, she didn't seem entirely satisfied.

"Is he really a basketball player?"

Kise puffed his cheeks defensively. "Of course he is, Kurokocchi is amazing!"

Watanabe waved a hand, clearly not caring about what Kise had to say about him. She leaned down, giving careful attention to Kuroko's face.

"Hm ... well, you have nice skin at least. You really don't look like a basketball player, so we might not be able to go with the theme I originally had planned for the two of you ... But I wonder what we should do instead? Kise, why didn't you tell me your friend looked like this?" She glared at him sharply.

"Well, I never said I wanted to do a basketball theme! I already get my picture taken in my uniform all the time. I thought maybe we could just do something really ... _simple_. You have to have some new clothes lying around, right?"

"... Kise-kun. It isn't that easy, you know that."

"Then we should just pose in what we have on! Just a little bit of make up and we can go for it! I'm sure our natural charisma can carry the rest through, right?" He tries to give Watanabe his most winning smile, but in return she just sighs.

"You don't give me a choice."

* * *

Even though Kise thought that Kuroko looked great in every pose, the photographer always seemed to have a hard time finding him. In picture after picture, the focus on Kuroko was never quite right. Kise, of course, looked fine, but it was hard to figure out who exactly the person with him was. He just had no presence.

His manager hit him over the head with a magazine when they finished.

"We might as well have just taken shots just of you for all that was worth! I don't even get it! How on earth can someone have so little presence on camera?" She looked over at Kuroko ruefully. "And you looked like you could have been so good, too ..."

She pressed a hand to her head.

"If you do this again, please make sure you bring someone that the camera can actually focus on."

Kise was about to protest when he felt Kuroko's hand on his arm.

"It's okay, Kise-kun. We should go."

"But Kurokocch—"

"No, this wasn't really something I was meant to do, anyways. And I want another milkshake."

He sighed. "Fine ..."

He wasn't happy with this outcome. He hadn't really been able to do anything for Kuroko. They couldn't even _use_ the pictures that had been taken, just because they brought so little to the table. It wasn't until after he saw Kuroko off at the station that he realized that there was someone else on Kuroko's team that he cared about enough to try to drag into this. And he knew that this one had a lot of presence.

He took out his phone. It didn't matter if Kuroko didn't get it until after he got off the subway.

`Hey, Kurokocchi. Can you give me Kagamicchi's number?`


	2. summer chocolate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kise gets Kagami to take a picture with him, but it isn't exactly easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _Man_ , who knew writing chaptered stuff would be so difficult! Hopefully I'll be able to keep up this approximately weekly schedule with this, but I hope you all enjoy this one! I'm sorry for the cliffhanger end...

He should have expected a bad reaction to that mail. But Kise just assumed that everyone was used to him, so there was no way that sending Kagami a mail that read:

`Kagamicchi! Please go out with me this Saturday! (◕‿◕✿)`

would have any sort of adverse effect. It's not like he meant anything weird by it. So when, about three minutes later, Kagami's number came up on his phone, he was a little surprised by the sudden outpouring of _anger_.

"Kise! What the hell was that supposed to be?"

"Ah, Kagamicchi, I wanted to ask you if—"

"Stop with the nickname, shit! Just don't mail me anymore, I don't even wanna know how you got my number!"

The line went silent.

He sighed. That had ended up a complete bust. He hadn't even been able to clarify that all he wanted to do was take some pictures. Kagami was really too stubborn, he thought, too cynical about other people's intentions. But that outright refusal just made Kise want to get a picture with him more. It was too bad he couldn't call or mail Kagami anymore, though.

It was a good thing that he had another weapon, one that he knew Kagami had a hard time saying no to.

 _Kuroko_.

* * *

It was almost too easy to get Kuroko to agree to the plan. But Kuroko wasn't stubborn, and he trusted Kise's judgement, in this. That much Kise knew, and it wasn't like they were planning anything harmful.

"You see, Kurokocchi, it's simple. All you have to do is make sure that you invite him out, and get him to the office around when I work. And then I'll be able to get him in my claws and we can have a good time!"

He could almost feel Kuroko politely nodding over the phone.

"Yes."

"Ahh, Kurokocchi, I'm sorry I didn't invite you again this time, though. It's just that they made me promise to bring someone new with me this time."

"No, Kise-kun, it's really fine. I'll see you tomorrow."

"With Kagamicchi, right?"

"Yes, Kagami-kun will be there too."

Kise couldn't help but smile to himself as they ended their call. He still wasn't quite sure what it was about Kagami that made him so appealing, but why not try to pursue this one thing a little bit? Kagami was exotic in his own rough way, and even if he didn't have Kuroko's natural refinement or Kise's experience, he still had potential. Watanabe would like him.

And even if she didn't, for some reason, why not try?

* * *

It was almost the same as when he had met Kuroko the week before. He and Kuroko had agreed that Kise would stay hidden until they were close to the office. He almost felt like he was on some of bizarre reconnaissance mission. Secret Agent Ryota Kise! He liked that. Maybe he could suggest it for a shoot theme later. Too bad that wasn't the theme his manager so desperately wanted to do. At least she hadn't suggested basketball again. That would have been way too boring.

He could hear Kagami's voice from around the corner.

"So Kuroko, what was it you wanted to do out here again?"

"We're meeting a friend of mine, Kagami-kun."

"Just don't tell me it's one of your friends from Teikou."

"Ah, Kagamicchi." Kise jumped out from behind the wall, grinning widely. "I'm not just any friend from Teikou!"

Kagami looked like he was about to kill somebody. Most likely Kise.

"Kuroko, what the fuck is this?"

"I was setting you up."

Cool as always. Kise was always kind of amazed at the kind of stuff Kuroko could say with a straight face.

"S- setting me up? Kuroko, that guy was harrassing— ow!"

Kuroko had jabbed him in the stomach.

"Go with him. He just wants you to take a picture."

"Wha— hah? A picture? Why?"

Kuroko looked over at Kise. "Ask Kise-kun, not me." Kuroko turned around, heading back to the station. "Call me when you're done, Kagami-kun, and I'll come back to get you."

"I can get back by myself— hey! You can't just leave me with him."

"If he does anything to you, you can also call me."

Now it was Kise's turn to look indignant.

"I took good care of you, didn't I?"

Kuroko nodded. "You did."

"Then there's nothing to worry about!" He held out a hand to Kagami. "Now, Kagamicchi, it's time for your debut!"

* * *

Watanabe's glare was somehow even harsher this time.

"Kise-kun, first you bring me someone who's perfect model material, but has no stage presence, and now you give me ..." She makes a gesture at all of Kagami. "You give me this?"

"He has presence though, don't you think, Ma— Watanabe-san?"

She sighed. "Yeah, but he's actually going to need some work! I'm glad that you got me his sizes, at least."

Kagami glared at Kise. "How did you—"

"Blame Kurokocchi, not me! You really think I came into your room at night and took your measurements or something?"

"Wouldn't put it past you."

"Kagamicchi, you know how to hit a man where it counts, don't you?"

Watanabe took the opportunity to hit Kise with a magazine again.

"Stop flirting with your friend here, Kise. We need to get him into makeup."

"Huh? Makeup?"

"Didn't you tell this guy anything, Kise-kun?"

"Not a thing!"

"Well," Watanabe said, as she sized Kagami up another time. "You're in for a ride."

* * *

Kise had to admit, Kagami cleaned up well. Not that he hadn't had his suspicions, but it was one thing to speculate about possibilities, and another thing to see it in action.

The theme for this shoot was "chocolate", and Kise hadn't wanted to warn Kagami at all (or even Kuroko), because he wasn't entirely sure how Kuroko would feel about his partner having to feed chocolate to Kise while he lay on the best couch in the studio half-naked. And Kagami wasn't the most willing, but Watanabe's stern stare had been enough to keep him in line. After a few photos, Kagami had even learned to relax a little. Maybe one of these photos would actually be useful for something besides a keepsake.

"Isn't this supposed to be about clothes?" Kagami frowned as Kise draped an arm over his shoulder, letting the photographer take a few more "candid" shots, while Kagami wasn't so aware of the camera.

"Mm, no. Not always. This is really more about selling chocolates, to girls, you know?"

"But it isn't Valentine's."

"So? Here, let me feed you this time." Kise dragged Kagami down so he could straddle his waist, leaning in extra close as he dangled a piece of chocolate near his mouth.

"That's— hey! Get off me!"

The cameraman (what was his name? Yamamoto, wasn't it, something simple and plain and average) clapped his hands. "Cut! Kise, what're you even doing? This is going in a magazine, remember?"

Kise just scowled. "Hey, you already got the shot you wanted, didn't you?"

Yamamoto could only shake his head at that, and waved them both away.

* * *

Watanabe was waiting for them both again after they had finished changing into the clothes they came in. "Kise-kun, what were you _doing_ at the end there?"

"I was having fun with Kagamicchi, obviously!"

She looked up at Kagami, at that. "You're lucky your photos came out well, Kagami-kun. Otherwise I'd say you're too distracting for this guy."

"... Huh?"

She looked over at Kise. "Is he always this dense?"

Kise smiled and nodded. "Yes!"

"Hey!" Kagami thumped Kise on the shoulder.

"She's telling you you can take pictures with me again."

"Why the hell would I wanna—"

Kise put a finger to Kagami's lips.

" _Because_ , Kagami, why wouldn't you?"

It didn't even matter if Watanabe was standing there staring. And even though Kagami would never believe this, he really had been planning to just take a picture with him. This was just a way of saying thank you.

Because only Ryota Kise was vain enough to think that kissing a guy was a good way to express his gratitude.


	3. just a little quiet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well that took ... more than six months to complete. I'm not even sure what happened anymore-- I think at one point I wanted to just delete this out of shame, but instead I figured out how to wrap this up. There's a lesson in this kids-- _always outline before you write_. Also, many thanks to [tormalyne](http://archiveofourown.org/users/tormalyne/) for the beta, this would've been a mess otherwise.

` How did the shoot go?`

`Eh, Kagamicchi really gave me a harsh rejection, you know!!`

`A rejection? Kagami-kun never called me, so I didn't think there was any reason to be worried.`

Kise stared down at the characters on his bright little phone screen, as he stepped out of his classroom. So Kagami hadn't told anyone about it, huh? Not if he hadn't told Kuroko, his partner, the person that Kise had to assume that Kagami trusted the most. He hadn't really been sure what to think after he had kissed Kagami and Kagami had just flushed and started muttering stuff in English that not even Kise could understand. Not even his manager really understood what he was going on about, but it didn't matter because Kagami had managed to clear out of the office in about ten seconds flat, leaving his manager to give him a very stern glance before telling him that he was done for the day.

Kise had briefly considered going after Kagami, but by the time he had changed and gone downstairs, he realized that he didn't know where Kagami lived or what direction he would be going in. He almost took out his phone to text Kuroko and ask him for Kagami's address, but he thought about how Kagami had reacted to a simple phone call and realized that would just make it worse.

The text had only come from Kuroko a few days later. He still hadn't talked to Kagami.

`The magazine comes out in a few days. You should buy a copy, Kurokocchi! Since I know Kagamicchi wouldn't remember!`

With that he closed his phone. Kagami hadn't told anyone. He couldn't decide if it was better or worse than him telling Kuroko. Maybe it meant he was embarrassed? He was pretty sure Americans were supposed to be more shameless than the Japanese, but then again, there always had to be exceptions. But if Kagami hadn't told anyone even after Kuroko had given him that whole speech before the shoot had happened, then maybe he didn't consider it an offense, either.

It was then that he realized that maybe it was just time for him to take this into his own hands. And make sure that Kagami couldn't ignore him, this time. It was a good thing that he knew that Seirin finished later than Kaijou did.

* * *

Of course, he probably should've expected a similar reaction to how he'd reacted on the phone. Except when he was going to visit Kagami in person, it was less a matter of hearing the phone click off and more a matter of having a door slammed in his face so hard that the glass might have _shattered_. But that didn't scare Kise, not really, even if that had been Kagami's intent. So he just opened the door again.

But that wasn't the case at all. Kagami was still standing just on the other side of the door, almost like he'd been expecting Kise to open it. Or because he was hoping he'd be able to hear Kise leave, at least. It looked like everyone else still hadn't left the classroom, or else gave Kagami a bit of a judging glance before leaving out the other door.

"What the hell're you doing here?" 

Kise just smiled and opened his bag, until he could dig out the copy of the magazine that he had gotten from his manager, still miraculously pristine. 

"I figured you deserved an advanced copy. The ad's on page 57." Kise was on the front cover too, but it didn't even look like Kagami was looking at the magazine. He was just staring a little at Kise, and there really was something confused in his eyes. _That's all you wanted?_ Or at least, maybe Kise could flatter himself into thinking that that was what Kagami's eyes were saying.

"Thanks."

Kagami was still staring at him, the magazine sort of hanging in his hand. Or at least, until it dropped from his hand after Kuroko had jabbed him in the side.

"Kagami-kun, it's rude to stare."

"I wasn't _staring at him_."

"You were staring. If you want to have a conversation with him, you really shouldn't do it in front of the door, anyways."

"Just shut up, Kuroko!" Kagami wasn't paying any attention to Kise anymore. At least he hadn't chucked the magazine into the trash right away. That was enough for now.

Kuroko must have seen some slight shift in his expression, though, since he frowned at Kagami again. "No, you should talk with Kise-kun."

"Why do I need to talk with that guy?"

"Because he came here all the way from Kanegawa just to talk to you. Don't be rude."

Kagami just looked exasperated, but at least he did bother to look back up at Kise again. " _Fine_."

* * *

"Look, Kise—"

Kise just leaned forward to put a finger on Kagami's lips. They had moved to a park near the school, a park where people didn't generally go. The kind of place that was secluded enough that they could have gotten away with pretty much whatever they wanted here. 

"Kagamicchi, whatever you're gonna say, don't say it."

Kagami just looked kind of befuddled, but he didn't actually say anything. That by itself was a little charming— that he took that shushing movement so utterly literally. It was so at contrast to how he'd seemed when they had first met.

"Do you know why I kissed you? Nod or shake."

He shook his head. No. That was a no.

"You really are an idiot, you know? Isn't there only one reason you kiss someone?"

Kagami leaned back, then, as if leaning away from Kise's finger was the only way he'd be able to speak.

"You don't like me."

Kise raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah, you're all over Kuroko. You went to him first, right? For that photoshoot?"

Kise just laughed. "Only because I knew he wouldn't hang up on me for the suggestion. Kagamicchi, were you really upset about that?"

Kagami kept scowling instead of giving an answer, so Kise just moved his hand so that it was behind Kagami's head, and leaned forward.

"You shouldn't be upset."

Kagami's expression softened a little. "I'm not—"

"I really like you, Kagamicchi."

This time, Kagami kissed him back.


End file.
